Dry or earth closet



(No Model.)

' H. A. HECOX.

DRY 0B EARTH O'LOSET. No. 548.543. Patented 001;. 22, 1895.

WITNESSES Ji J4.

' INVENTOR a .lttorney M1 DREW EGIAHAH.PND'N'UTNOWASHINGTONJC.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEicE.

HAMDEY A. I IECOX, OF OENTREVILLE, MICHIGAN.

DRY OR EARTH CLOSET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 548,543, dated October 22, 1895.

Application filed April 12, 1895. Serial No. 545,514. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HAMDEN A. HECOX, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Oentreville, in the county of St. Joseph and State of Michigan, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Dry Closets; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which forms a part of this specification.

The drawing represents a central vertical section through the closet.

The object of this invention is to provide an improved dry closet which will be odorless and which is provided with means whereby it may be warmed during cold weather; and the invention consists in the novel construction and combination of parts, all as hereinafter described, and pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawing,

the letter A designates the box or closure of the closet, having a seat B andseat-cover O.

D designates an upwardly-extending and forwardly-inclined transverse wall or partition with which said box or closure is provided, said partition being extended nearly to the top of the box, but stopping sufticiently short thereof to leave an air-passage a.

E is the soil bucket or receptacle, which is placed within the box or closure underneath the seat, to the rear of the wall or partition D. The provision of the partition D causes all the warm air to pass above its upper edge and directly underneath the seat. Without it a special form of bucket would be required, which would have to fit closely in the box or closet to prevent the warm air passing around it, With the partition, however, I may use a bucket of any desired or suitable shape, and which can readily be removed by raising the seat portion B.

F designates a warm-air pipe which leads into the box or closure and which conducts warm air thereto from a heated lower room of the house or other building.

G designates an escape-pipe for the air and gases, which leads from the upper rear portion of the box into the chimney, smoke-pipe, or fine (not shown) of the building.

It will be understood that the current of warm air passes up over the top of the wall or partition D directly underneath the seat, rendering the latter comfortable in cold weather and also creating a circulation through the box to carry off the foul odors. Should the seat be left open and unoccupied, a current of cold air will pass down through the opening of the seat, as indicated by the arrow, to the escape-pipe, carrying with it the odors. The box is also provided with a door I at its lower front portion, in order that a lamp may be placed therein during very cold weather, or in case the closet is so located that connection with a warm room is not possible or practicable, or while the lower room may be unheated.

In the drawing I have shown the invention as provided with a dust hopper and with means for carrying the dust therefrom to the bucket.

Kdesignates the box or hopper which contains the dust or like materal, and which is provided with a cover K. This box or hopper is supported upon the box A behind the seat and has a centrally and downwardly inclined bottom in which is an opening L, controlled by means of asliding gate M, having an adjusting-screw m. Running horizontally below this opening is an endless belt N, which is carried by transversely-journaled rollers n n, the forward one of which has its shaft extended through the side of box A and provided with a crank N, attached thereto.

0 is a distributing device which receives the dust or like material from the belt Nand delivers it evenly over the contents of the bucket. This device comprises an inclined transverse plate, which is pivotally supported in the walls of the box A and which is rocked by means of teeth or cogs P on the shaft of the belt'roller n.

R designates a spout, which is attached to the seat and is arranged to catch the urine and carry it back to the center of the bucket, so that it will become thoroughly covered by the dust, being to a great extent prevented from coming in direct contact with the walls 3f the bucket and adhering thereto with the ust.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A dry closet having a box or closure upon which is the seat and Within which the soil bucket or receptacle is placed, said box hav' ing an upward extending, forwardlyinclined Wall or partition in front of such bucket or receptacle, With an air passage at the top, a dust hopper supported on the said box to the rear of the seat and having an opening in its bottom, a slide for controlling said opening, an endless carrier belt underneath said opening, and a distributing device arranged to receive the dust or the like from said belt and 

